Have you ever wondered how much does a vinyl record weigh? I bet you have if you have packed fifty (or a lot more) in your DJ box and lugged them across your city from venue to venue. Yep, it can be rather back-breaking work.
However, in the past few years, if you’re a music fan, you must have noticed that vinyl records have started to make a serious comeback. What was once seen as a clunky and expensive way to play music, wholly inferior to things like the CD player or digital music, the vinyl record has since begun to see a serious resurgence in popularity. Today, it isn’t uncommon to see people with a record collection of the most recent artists and songs. Of course, vinyl records have particularly started to make a comeback as it pertains to those in the DJ community.
If you are a DJ that’s had a chance to play around and perform a few gigs, there’s a chance that you’ve heard about how vinyl records and turntables offer a superior sound quality when compared to controllers and CDJs. And, while there are other breakdown reviews on how the device themselves compare, here, I’d like to talk a bit about the vinyl record itself – particularly, how much it weighs, and why that’s such an important factor.
Understanding the weight of a record has a ton of uses that work for DJs and casual music fans alike. In this overview, we’ll go over how much a record weighs, why they are around that weight, as well as why it matters.
How Much Does A Vinyl Record Weigh?
While it may seem like a straightforward answer, the fact of the matter is that vinyl records have had fluctuating weight patterns throughout their existence. During their original release, old records, for example, often weighed around 80 grams while the weight of a record ranged between 120 and 140 grams in the 20th century. There were even some records that weighed as high as 200 grams or more, being regarded as “audiophile-grade”.
Today, vinyl records are released at around 180 grams by music producers and record labels around the country. Again, there is wiggle room on this number.
But why are there so many different weight standards, and where does the “180-gram” standard come from today?
Vinyl Record Industry Standards
Over the course of the vinyl record industry, there have been different standards put in place for their universal weight setup. As mentioned earlier, some of the earliest records weighed only 80 grams, while some of the heaviest throughout history have well surpassed the 200g mark.
These set weights are part of the industry standard at that particular time to ensure most record players could reliably play the records without too much strain. Still, this does not mean that all records today are at the 180-gram weight. There are more than a few alternative options out there.
Different-sized Record Options
While the industry standard is 180 grams, that doesn’t mean every modern record weighs the same or hits that 180-gram weight class. The weight of a record is primarily determined by that record’s size. Today, there are largely four record sizes that are the most commonly available for the majority of companies, the five-inch, seven-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch records. I think we all know that the 12-inch is the dominant size in electronic music.
Each of these record types has its own set of manufactured weight, with only the 12-inch option weighing in at 180 grams. Another commonly bought and sold record size is the 7-inch record. These records generally weigh in at around 40 grams, well under half the weight of the 12-inch option. The next most common, the 10-inch record, comes in at around 100 grams.
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Does A Record’s Weight Matter?
We’ve already done a fair bit of talking about the different sizes and weight types of the various records throughout history as well as today. But one thing we haven’t yet gone over in much detail is why a record’s weight matters.
Depending on who you ask, most audio experts and aficionados believe that much of the reason behind a record’s weight, outside of the industry standards being what they are, is due to how it affects the overall sound quality of the music itself. Music, like anything, is affected by the weight of the tool expressing it. As such, the sound quality can alter considerably based on if the record is too heavy or too light.
With records having a general cap at around 180 grams, producers and record labels can leverage this expectation of sound quality to their customers, letting them know that their records are larger, thus able to have a higher sound quality (Whether this is true or not is still somewhat up in the air). By saying that their records weigh in at 180 grams, companies are essentially saying that their products are in the “heavyweight” class of records, making them the superior option compared to other, smaller records out there.
What Else Determines Vinyl Weight?
In addition to a record’s sound quality and ability to effectively be played by a turntable or record player, other factors go into a record’s weight being what it is. Here are just a few of the more well-known factors that are used to determine its weight.
#1. Shipping Costs
One of the more immediate aspects that most people don’t consider is how big of role shipping costs play in determining a record’s weight. A large percentage of vinly will now be purchased online as so many of the historic record shops have closed down.
The reality is that – like when mailing a letter vs. a package – weight plays a huge role in how much one pays when shipping something.
The heavier something is, the more it will cost; it’s just that simple. Companies, such as Discogs, and record labels understand that and know that to ship a 200-gram record will cost them more than a record that weighs 40 grams. As a result, you should expect that most records you buy in the 40-gram range are going to be much less expensive than the ones at the 180-gram level.
#2. Safety Concerns
The next factor that people don’t consider is that vinyl records are incredibly delicate. As such, you need to be very careful when moving them around, especially when dealing with hundreds in a moving cart or crate. Records on the lighter side can be moved en-masse at a much easier pace than heavier records. And while moving technology has made moving heavier and heavier items easier to do, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t play a significant factor in why a record weighs what it does.
How Much Does a Vinyl Record Weigh: Takeaway
Understanding how much a vinyl record weighs and why is very important. By understanding what makes a record its weight, you can know, as a DJ, which size will work best for you while performing. Small records will be less burdensome on your player or turntable while larger ones are considered to have better sound quality. They are also much less likely to break, making them a great option for some.
If you’re a DJ and want to gauge which setup will work best for you, consider trying a few different sizes out. This will give you a chance to see if you need a lighter 40-gram record or potentially something closer to the aforementioned 180-gram. Knowing what works for you and what doesn’t will give you a profound sense of confidence when on the decks performing for the crowd, ultimately improving your abilities and notoriety as a DJ overall.
